Guilty Pleasures
by LostOzian
Summary: Meet 2 Shiz students, the rule abiding Renaht, and the mischevious and magically gifted Norri. Hilarity ensues as Norri discovers a spell that can make anyone fall in love with anyone else... Complete!
1. Day One

**Disclaimer: Not mine. All the characters, minus Renaht (Ren-aht) and Norri (No-ri), belong to Gregory Maguire and Winnie Holzman. Magic belongs to the realm of Oz. Microsoft Office Word belongs to Bill Gates. I have no clue who actually owns Fanfiction-dot-net. Anybody else I forgot, lodge a formal complaint via reviewing. If you love it, lodge a formal compliment via reviewing. If you hate it, buzz off :). Okay, just kidding. This somehow takes place in between Dancing Through Life and Popular, because I need Elphaba nerdy and Fiyero at Shiz.**

**Pairings: Fiyero/Elphaba, Fiyero/Nessa, Boq/Elphaba. Don't yell at me yet, read it for Oz's sake, and it'll make sense.**

**Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian**

* * *

"Hey, look at this!" Renaht pulled down an old leather-bound book from the library shelf and set it down on one of the study tables. Norri poked his head out from behind another set of shelves.

"What is it?" He said as he joined his friend in examining the book.

"I don't know…" Renaht began flipping pages experimentally, noticing scribbled notes in the margins. "Somebody wrote in it." He said disgustedly. He hated it when people wrote in library books.

"No wonder," Norri took the book from Renaht. "It's in another language. Those scribbles are translations." He peered closely at the translations, but noticed that a title was translated. _Love spell_, it said in curly girl's handwriting. Norri looked up at Renaht mischievously. Renaht read the two words and immediately began scolding Norri.

"No."

"Please?"

"No!"

"It'll be fun!"

"No! You don't mess around with people like that!"

"We can undo it…"

"What?!"

"Right here, there's a neutralization at the bottom." Norri turned the book around, where a large paragraph of swirling letters with the translation squeezed in around it. Renaht read it aloud.

"Love is a flighty thing, and hence easy to disperse. Know that accidental pain may be remedied, but keep in mind not all miscast spells have such an easy solution." There was a single line of letters under it, with their pronunciation scribbled above each letter.

"So why not? We can fix it if things go wrong, and who knows?" Norri tried to look innocent. "We might make some people very, very happy." Renaht chewed it over for a minute.

"Fine," he said, shoving the book at Norri. "I don't want anything to do with this, but you go ahead. Have your 'fun' while screwing with other people's feelings."

"Thanks!" Norri pored over the book, glancing up for the first person he should magic-spell. Renaht scoffed, and went off to find the book he _wanted_ to check out. Norri discarded a group of sophomores, a pair making out behind a shelf, and a junior nerd before finding his prize. It was perfect. The person least likely to fall in love, ever, suddenly goes head-over-heels for…well, he wasn't sure how to specify who.

He began speaking, using the translations as a guide, not even suppressing a manic smile as the words formed on his lips.

* * *

Elphaba Thropp scanned down the books mindlessly, trying to find one interesting enough to keep her distracted during Galinda's slumber party tonight. She passed over histories, science essays, and philosophies with a bored expression, trying to find the one thing that would be able to occupy so much time. She reached the end of the shelf, and in a blinding moment of revelation, suddenly understood that she didn't want a book to keep her busy. She wanted a person.

Fiyero Tiggular, sprawled in a library chair, his book long forgotten, was fast asleep. Even in sleep, Elphaba saw the perfection of his features. Everything was so handsome and noble. She could spend all day thinking of him, and still not tire. Why hadn't she realized this before? She approached his chair cautiously, knowing that it held the one truly good thing in the world. Elphaba scolded herself with each step for every bad name she had ever called Fiyero, every ill intention she had imagined. She had been stupid, and now finally she could see the truth, like a bright, warming fire.

* * *

Norri scuttled away, giggling, as he hid to see the mayhem his creation would cause.

* * *

Elphaba knelt beside the chair tentatively, caught between desires and common sense. He was asleep, everybody else was engrossed in books, and it would be so easy just to kiss him now…

…Wait. Did he want her to kiss him? She imagined what it would be like if he didn't. Causing so much alarm and displeasure to the love of her life for ever would be physically painful for her to watch, especially knowing her actions had made him feel that way. Hands trembling, she settled for shaking his shoulder.

"Wha…?" Fiyero awoke with a start. Elphaba stared up adoringly as consciousness returned to the prince. He noticed Elphaba, actually looked _at_ her. She immediately felt lost in his deep blue eyes, almost powerless to do anything else. "Oh. Hello," he said tentatively, not sure why Elphaba was sitting there with such a stupid- well, stupid for her- look on her face.

"Hi," she said breathlessly. She added his voice to her mental list of reasons she loved Fiyero Tiggular, right after name, hair, gait, and eyes. Eyes were really high on that list, like sapphires… _No,_ she corrected herself, blinking a few times. _Blue diamonds…_

"Can I help you?" He asked, almost creeped out by the amount of attention Elphaba was paying him. Usually she just scoffed at him and moved on.

"You dropped your book," She handed it to him slowly, never looking away from his face. He took it quickly, trying not to show she was making him nervous. He had received a lot of practice from other adoring girls, but this was different. Elphaba never did anything like this, not to anyone, and why she suddenly started was a mystery beyond most brilliant minds, let alone his.

"Thanks," He said. "Er…do you have the time?" Elphaba didn't even look at a clock to check. She had checked a few minutes ago, and she was glad she did. She didn't want to lose a single clock-tick with Fiyero.

"A bit past two." She said dreamily. Fiyero stood up, placing his book on a table.

"Really? I…ah… have an appointment…at five...so I need to get moving…." And he left. Elphaba took his chair, barely believing that it had once held Fiyero Tiggular, her one and only true love. She settled into the warmth, ignoring hints of rational thought. _You're being like a stalker…a freak…you're green, for Oz sake, get real! _She felt like she was floating on a cloud, and made a promise to herself that she would live for every moment with Fiyero in the room. Fiyero and Elphaba Tiggular… She repeated the names to herself again and again, letting it sail her to new heights of joy. Fi-yer-o and El-pha-a Tigg-u-lar…

* * *

"Renaht!" Norri's face was bright red like a cherry, his smile wider than anything his friend had ever seen.

"You tried it, didn't you?" Renaht assumed, and correctly. "Who were the victims?"

"It's one way, unless I cast it twice." Norri started to snigger. "_Elphaba Thropp_ is deeply in love with _Fiyero Tiggular_!" Renaht shook his head disappointedly.

"You're disgusting." He said simply. He wasn't friends with Elphaba, but that was just about the wickedest thing you could do to a person like her. Make her fall in love.

"Who cares?!" Norri kissed the grimy cover of the book. "This is the best thing in the world!" Norri committed the details he had found out to memory. They fell in love with the first person they saw. They lost all sense of judgment. They acted like riotous lunatics.

_This book is gold,_ Norri thought as he ran out of the library, almost in hysterics as he planned all the fun he could cause with that book.

* * *

Fiyero hurried out of the library, not daring to start walking until he was fifty feet away. He shivered involuntarily. What in Oz could make Elphaba act like that?! She was insane, sitting there and staring at him, her usual piercing hazel eyes soft and vulnerable. Elphaba was not soft! _But she's _gone_ soft…_ Fiyero thought. When you think you know a girl…

He continued walking with no particular direction, his slow mind puzzling over this conundrum life decided to throw at him. He liked Elphaba well enough, but her sudden chance in attitude was too much. Something was wrong…

…No. Everything was beautiful and right, now that he had realized that it was her all along. Nessa wheeled herself down the cobblestone path, the light shining off her light brown hair, her clothing neat and crisp, delicate porcelain features in her face. He felt a longing, more pure than anything he had ever known, mixed with a guilt that he hadn't realized sooner and been able to help her, so small and dependent. He crossed the green between them, determined to make up for the years she had been forced to exist without him.

* * *

Norri shut the book again, pride that he had struck twice filling him. He was good at this spell-casting stuff; maybe he should ask to be in Morrible's little seminar. He followed Fiyero at a distance, wondering what antics he would get up to in attempting to win the heart of Nessarose.

* * *

"Hey," Fiyero said, falling into stride beside Nessa's chair.

"Hello, Fiyero." She said politely.

"Where are you headed?" He asked eagerly. He had his chance, here and now, to prove to Nessa that he would do anything for her.

"To Madame Morrible's quarters. I have some studying to do." She said. Fiyero immediately took her chair and started pushing. Nessa panicked.

"What are you doing?!" She cried. She hated it when people just pushed her chair like that. It reminded her that she couldn't walk.

"Helping you get to Morrible's," Fiyero said, slowing down a little bit. Had he done something wrong? He tried to think of ways to redeem himself.

"Could you ask?" Nessa said, still shaken from Fiyero's sudden possession of her chair.

"I'm sorry," Fiyero looked at the ground, slowing down so much Nessa would go faster if she wheeled herself. "I really am."

"It's all right, just tell me first!" Nessa calmed herself. It was an honest mistake. She only knew Fiyero as 'Galinda's boyfriend' and he probably only knew her as 'Elphaba's sister', so of course he wouldn't know. He pushed the chair at normal walking speed again, thinking of Nessa. His angel, forgiving and kind, willing to let him try again after his mistake, even after he had been out of her life for so long.

"What do you need to study?" Fiyero asked her.

"Life sciences," Nessa said, folding her arms in her lap and letting them rest.

"Need any help?" Fiyero said, making mental notes along the way. He should pay more attention in classes from now on so that he could help Nessa with assignments. Nessa looked back at him. He smiled winningly. Was he suggesting he could help with her classes? Mr. dance-through-life-and-ditch-class? She put her guard up.

"No thank you. I'll just ask Elphaba." All Fiyero heard was the _no_.

"Well, what about other classes?" Fiyero immediately suggested. "If I'm in it, I'll try and help!" Nessa was fully alarmed now. Had he actually been paying attention in any of his classes? No, he couldn't have. Nessa remembered that he would always- and promptly- fall asleep five minutes into class. She would be better off having a dumb mole-rat help her in history.

"If I need help, I'll ask Elphaba!" Nessa said sharply. Fiyero stopped suddenly, blinking as if struck. _She would rather go to her sister…_ Fiyero thought. He didn't have her trust. Nessa twisted around in her chair fully to look at Fiyero.

"Hello?" She waved a hand in front of his face. It didn't quite reach, but it caught his attention. He looked down at her face, her small nose, rich brown eyes. Fiyero steeled himself. He would become her perfect man. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," he lied, and tried to think of something intelligent to say. "Excellent," was all he managed to come up with.

"Really?" Nessa said. "Because you just passed Madame Morrible's quarters." Nessa pointed back behind her. Fiyero started.

"Oh! Sorry," he said, turning the chair around. "Sorry." He pushed Nessa's chair down the path to Madame Morrible's little cottage slowly, trying to get a few more moments with Nessa. His mind tried to think up a legit excuse for him to stay, but was too late. Nessa was already at the door. She opened it, took the chair herself, and wheeled inside.

"Thank you," she said politely, and she shut the door.

"You're welcome, Nessarose." Fiyero said to the empty green. He couldn't think of a person more deserving of him, more deserving of everlasting love. He would make her his princess, and she would never need to be sad as long as he loved her.

He stood outside the cottage, lost in his thoughts of Nessa, until he finally managed to tear himself away to go and find out what the heck today's lecture had been about.

* * *

Norri hid the book under his coat to go and find if there was anything else he could do for fun. Renaht's warnings were starting to get to him, but not so much that he wouldn't be able to do it again later. He just needed a little break.

* * *

Boq left the library, three thick books under his arm. He hated studying. It would have been so much easier to just ditch it all and run after Galinda all day, but he knew his parents were expecting high marks, so he just did the bare minimum to get there and spent the rest of his waking hours trying to get Galinda to recognize that he existed. He lifted the books higher and proceeded to trudge back to the dorms. School felt like metal in your mouth; cold, bad-tasting, leaving ugly marks on your teeth if it was rusted. Still, you put up with it for hope of being able to take it out soon.

The sun was starting to go down, and he was scolding himself for having put off going to the library. He would have to find his way back to the dorm in the cold darkness. Already the night-Birds were coming out, warming up their voices for their late night warbling.

"Only-thing-to-do is jump, o-ver the moon…" A single voice stood out among the choruses of do-re-mi's. It wasn't a Bird voice, he could tell that immediately. A person, female, was singing. Her voice was sweet and low, not caring who heard her. He squinted in the semi-darkness. He could barely see her, her clothing was dark as well. Dark navy blue, with a long black braid…_Elphaba_?! She was strolling idly along the path, almost wandering, pausing to touch the light blue flowers that lined this section of the lane. She was singing nonsense, her steps slow and rhythmic to her little song.

_She's…beautiful._ Boq thought suddenly. She honestly was. Tall, graceful, intelligent. Boq sped up slightly to catch her, the traits he loved in her hastening his feet. Humor. Good person. Oz, she was even destined for greatness with magic powers like hers. Magic so powerful, all thoughts of Galinda had evaporated upon seeing her like this tonight.

"Elphaba," He called after her. A lovely name, to be sure. She turned slowly, never stopping. The turn became a spin, and she continued on her way. Boq felt disheartenment looming over him, when she responded.

"Hey, Boq," she worked his name into her little song. Boq's heart melted. He never _really _liked his name, but her voice brought glory and wonder into the three letters. He caught up to her, shifting his books to his other side. Questions ran through his head. _Should I tell her? Would she mind if I held her hand? Does she know I think she's beautiful?_ They walked in silence a few minutes, Elphaba's song dying down into little whispers of a melody.

"Even been in love, Boq?" She asked absently. Her harsh nature was gone, and Boq felt warm and welcomed. "Like, about-to-die in love?"

"Yes!" He said enthusiastically. "Like if you don't say something, you're going to burst!"

"And the whole world looks wonderful?" She added, staring up into the first stars of night.

"Limitless," He said. He could feel Butterflies in his stomach. She smiled slightly.

"Unlimited…" Elphaba said softly. "That's really what love is, Boq. Unlimited."

"Like you could fly." He truly felt like he could, like he could take a step off of a cliff and not fall. This was true love. They continued for a while, alternately watching the stars and where they were going. After a long walk, they reached the girl's dorm complex.

"It feels good to talk about when you're in love." She said as she climbed the small flight of stairs to the girl's dorms.

"Especially to who you're in love with," Boq said. Elphaba frowned.

"Excuse me?" She asked. Boq simply smiled at her. She was perfection, each defect the world thought she had adding to the majesty of everything she was.

"Elphaba…." Boq started, feeling each word resound around his head, making him surer of himself. "I love you."

Instantly her face hardened. The breezy nature gone, the tender expression faded into nothing as if it were never there.

"Don't joke about things like that, Boq." She said sternly, and retreated into the dorm building, practically slamming the door behind her. He felt the slam as if it were a slam in the face. So she wasn't talking about him? Who could she be talking about? Boq shoved the questions aside and filled himself with resolve.

_You're going to lose your heart to me, Elphaba._ He thought, then turned and walked back in the opposite direction to the boy's dorm. _The same way I lost mine to you.__

* * *

_

Renaht looked up from his novel when Norri entered the small dorm room.

"Where have you been all night?" He asked sharply. "It's late."

"This is the most wickedly fun thing in all of Oz!" Norri declared, placing the book on his bed.

"What more trouble have you caused?" Renaht tried to hint to his friend that he should just stop.

"Listen to this," Norri's eyes gleamed as he prepared to tell the story of his exploits. "Elphaba pines for Fiyero, Fiyero lusts after Nessarose, Nessarose adores Boq, and Boq couldn't live without Elphaba!" Renaht stared at Norri coldly.

"I cannot say this enough," Renaht said. "You're twisted."

"I know," Norri changed quickly and jumped into his bed, slipping the magic book under his pillow. "But it's fun." He blew out the candle beside his bed. "Ready for bed?" Renaht put aside his book and pulled back his sheets. He extinguished the second candle himself.

"I'm only letting you get away with this because I know you're going to fix it." Renaht said, his voice seeming to come from nowhere in the darkened room. "You do know that, right? The instant somebody gets hurt, I'm reporting you."

"Nobody's going to get hurt," Norri yawned.

"People in love do insane things." Renaht said. "But you do understand?"

"How did I end up with the most rule-abiding student in all of Shiz as a roommate?" Norri teased.

"You don't know your own power," Renaht's bed groaned, a sign he had rolled over. "Good night, Norri."

"G'night," And Norri fell asleep.


	2. Day Two

**Disclaimer: So I own not a notion, I escape, an ape, content. I do not own Wicked, I RENT! Review if you're a RENT-head who understood that. :) RENTheads and OZheads go almost like peanut butter and jelly...I blame Idina Menzel and her performance as Maureen!**

**Pairings: Boq/Galinda, Fiyero/Galinda, Fiyero/Nessa, Boq/Elphaba, Fiyero/Elphaba...everything imaginable. I know, most of those are scarily strange. But so is Norri.**

**Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian**

* * *

Norri sat in class, watching the discrete signals of his mischief manifested in the room around him. Elphaba stared at the back of Fiyero's head the way he had seen her lost in a book, Fiyero had insisted on sitting as close to Nessa as possible, Nessa watched every move Boq made, and Boq would look up at Elphaba, scribble something, scratch it out, and look up at her again. Galinda sat in the midst of all this, looking about her and not knowing what to think. He smirked to himself, pleased with his work from yesterday. Renaht sat down beside him, looking sheepish. 

"Norri?" He asked tentatively. "You know that book?"

"Which book?" Norri said innocently. Renaht glared at him, losing the nervous apperance. "Okay, I know the book. What about it?"

"You also know…that I…I kind of like Miss Galinda…" Renaht stared at his notebook, his cheeks starting to flush red.

"You want some help?" Norri grinned. Renaht shifted on his bench. Norri patted him on the back understandingly. "I get it, buddy. I'll help. You go talk to her for a little while, and I'll work the magic." Norri pulled out the book and began flipping to the love spell page.

"I can't go talk to her!" Renaht said quickly, changing from flushed to fully blushing. "I'll look like a complete idiot!"

"And then she'll fall hopelessly in love with you, and she won't care!" Norri said, rolling his eyes. It was obvious; what was Renaht worrying about?! "It won't even be that long, it's a short spell!"

"No! I'll look so stupid, she'll guess something's up!" Renaht insisted. Norri raised an eyebrow.

"You give Galinda's intelligence more credit than it deserves," Norri said. Renaht looked at him pleadingly, deciding to ignore the slightly slanderous comment for now. "Fine, you stay here, but make sure you have her attention when the spell finishes." Renaht nodded, and Norri bent his head over the book, beginning to chant lowly.

* * *

Galinda stared off at nothing, wondering why Fiyero was acting so strangely this morning. He kept looking at Nessarose, and had paper and pencil ready to take notes. He _never_ took notes, and usually didn't bother to get out paper for fear of drooling on it in his mid-class nap. Oz, she was even surprised he brought paper to today's lecture. 

Somebody waved at her. Galinda looked up. He kept waving, smiling broadly. Galinda waved back, returning his smile, half-heartedly trying to remember his name. Only really hot guys had names worth remembering and thinking of on a regular basis. This guy averaged about a six on the hotness scale of life. Giving up on his name, she was about to look away when the boy waved again. She sat there a moment, then waved slowly, and mouthed the word 'Hi'. The boy glanced down quickly at the person beside him, bent low over an old book, then back at her. Something was going on...

And then Bick passed her. She forgot all about that moronic boy, distracted by the perfect man that just passed her. He approached the pencil sharpener, completely unaware that Galinda was staring at him, absorbing every little detail she had missed whenever he had been with her. Short, dark hair that waved slightly. Deep brown eyes always alert to something. Slightly pouty mouth, so absolutely adorable. And he was her height! Almost every guy she had ever dated was taller than her, forcing her to wear uncomfortable high heels with every date. With Bick, she could pitch those shoes in the lake and wear designer flats, and _still_ be the perfect height. The tall Munchkin and the short Gillikin. _We deserve each other_...

"Hi, Bick!" Galinda said brightly as he passed her again to go back to his seat.

"It's Boq," He responded flatly, automatically, not even slowing down to talk to her. Galinda felt hurt. Didn't he like her? Why didn't he _notice_ her?! She pulled out a sheet of paper and began to write something down.

* * *

"Damnit!" Renaht cursed. Norri looked up. 

"What? What happened?" He said stupidly. Renaht looked ready to kill someone. To kill a Munchkin boy…

"Boq got up at just the wrong time! Galinda's after _him_ now!" Renaht punched his leg in frustration. Norri sniggered. Renaht reeled on him. "It's not funny! Cast it again!"

"Too late," Norri smiled infuriatingly. "Your fault for not going, and talking, and having her _full_ attention. And it's impossible to get her to look at you now; she's doting on Boq." Renaht fell silent, his anger boiling up. "Besides, it doesn't matter. He's not competition. He loves Elphaba, remember?" Renaht battled with the decision of whether to murder Boq in his sleep or not. Finally, he decided against it, more because he would probably be found out and arrested than because of Boq's lack of interest in Galinda.

"I could punish _Boq_," Norri suggested. "Make him gay or something." Renaht's eyes lit up evilly.

"Do it." He said. Norri smiled broadly.

"Now, you go get his attention while I read the spell," Renaht hit Norri on the shoulder.

"You're sick." Renaht turned away, disgusted he had such a moron as a friend.

* * *

Boq wrestled around with words and a freshly sharpened pencil, trying to find the best ones to put in his song. He knew Elphaba liked music and singing, but he had never found he had much talent as a songwriter. However, love would be his inspiration, and he would find the magic lyrics to make Elphaba love him. He looked over what he had written so far, scratched out words making it hard to read the words **(Aptly set to the tune of 'As Long as You're Mine').**

_With all of my heart, with all my mind,_

_I'm in love with an angel left for me to find._

_Somehow, I've fallen under your spell, _

_and now I am feeling the heat of my flame…_

Boq didn't really like the last line, and was trying to think of a synonym for 'love' that rhymed with 'spell' when a little folded note fell on top of his paper. He unfolded it just as Dr. Dillamond entered the classroom to begin the lecture.

'Hi, Boq! I'm sorry I've been saying your name wrong this whole time. –Galinda." Boq stared at it. Every lower-case 'i' was dotted with a little heart. He looked up at Galinda. She waved her fingers at him and smiled charmingly. Boq looked down at the note again, puzzled. Did Galinda always dot her 'i's with hearts? Probably, knowing her. _Ditz._ He thought distainfully.

'It doesn't matter. You've got it right now.' Boq threw the note back, and returned to writing his song.

Galinda read the note, and was instantly relieved. 'Bick' did sound silly. 'Boq' was a much better name. Galinda and Boq…She giggled as she wrote more.

The paper landed in the middle of Boq's work again. _What more does she want? _He thought irritably. He unfolded it and read her note.

'Are you doing anything tonight?' More hearts. Boq made a face at the note, but then the irony of the situation struck him. _Yes, I'm serenading your roommate tonight. _Still, he wouldn't say that. She might tell Elphaba, and that would ruin the surprise.

'Yes.' Was the short reply. Boq decided to leave the last line alone and move along to the next verse.

_Every moment that I think of you,_

_I see your perfection, and that my love is true._

Galinda's note fell again. Boq unfolded it hastily, wanting to be done with her and continue writing his song for Elphaba.

'Anything I can be involved in?' Hearts. She probably did dot all of her 'i's with hearts. Boq knew the reply immediately. He _and_ Galinda singing to Elphaba would be ridiculous.

'No.' He wrote quickly and threw the note back. Just as he was about to continue writing, the note came back. Her curly handwriting was slipping intp more of a crazed scrawl, the hearts becoming more lopsided.

'How about tomorrow?' Boq scoffed. Was she really that desperate? He wasn't. At least, not to her. Still, he couldn't think with Galinda passing him notes all the time.

'I don't know. I'll tell you tomorrow.' He responded. Toss. Toss. The note was back again. Boq was growing to hate that little slip of paper with a passion.

'I'll be free all night.' With a little smile-y face next to it. Oh, for Oz's sake, Galinda...

'Good for you. Now, if you'll excuse me, we're in class." Boq's pencil broke after the word 'class'. He swore under his breath, and tossed the note back to Galinda. He couldn't work on the song anymore with a broken pencil, and didn't dare interrupt Dr. Dillamond, Elphaba's favorite teacher, to sharpen it. Sighing, he set the pencil down and tried to latch back on to the lecture's purpose.

* * *

Norri walked to his next class alone. Renaht had been awfully sore about his mistake with the spell, and was determined not to speak to Norri. Norri was sure the blunder wasn't his fault. 

But still. Boredom niggled at him, and he felt restless. He had the power to make something hilariously interesting happen, and the only thing preventing him from doing it was the cover of a cloth book bag. He sat down at his desk and began to think of other ways to shake things up, when Fiyero sat down in front of him, depressed that Nessa wasn't in this class, and that her class was too far away for Fiyero to push her and then make it back on time. Norri grinned. Royalty had this…habit…of making fools of themselves.

* * *

Fiyero gazed at the chalkboard glumly, trying to pay attention for Nessa's sake, practicing the whole 'listening' thing. Still, thoughts of Nessa were what kept distracting him. But then reminding him that he should be paying attention. And then distracting him again. He massaged his temples, trying to focus on what this dull professor was writing on the chalkboard. He looked down, the lecture starting to lull him to sleep, blinked a few times, and when he looked up again, his whole worldview changed. 

Galinda was sitting in front of him, radiant in all of her flawless beauty. Everything about her was flawless- gold hair, crystal-blue eyes, makeup application, and fashion. It was so easy to love Galinda, and so hard not to. Plus, he could nap in class all he wanted and she wouldn't care. He reached out and placed a hand on her upper arm flirtingly. Galinda turned and shrugged it off, looking at him with icy disgust. Fiyero blinked. Why didn't she like him? Technically, they were dating, so she did at least _like_ him…right? Fiyero tried again, this time more gently. Galinda took his hand off with her other hand, and hissed at him: "Stop it!" Fiyero forced himself to back off. For some reason, she probably wanted to pay attention in class today. He wouldn't stop her, and he rested his head on his books and prepared for a nap, hoping for beautiful dreams of Galinda and him.

* * *

Norri smiled, the little humiliation enough to entertain him through this class. But after it ended, the feared dullness returned, despite the cheery prospect of lunch and a free period. He would have to think of some other person to mess with, and tried to think of who he had not yet cast a spell on. He examined the flood of students from the lecture hall, one standing out like a rose in a snow bank. _Nessa_rose…

* * *

Nessa examined the homemade lunch sitting in her lap, amazed by the amount of care that had gone into her sandwich. Elphaba had carefully cut tiny splices out of the top slice of bread, letting the red jam show through, creating an opposite likeness of a rose. She looked to her sister, who was not eating at all, a much more mundane sandwich and apple discarded beside her. She was staring out at the group of students, following one student in particular, but Nessa couldn't tell who just yet. 

"Elphaba, are you feeling all right?" Nessa asked, worried for her sister's health. She had never really eaten much, but always ate her entire lunch.

"Handsome," she responded lightly, not looking at Nessa.

"What?" Nessa said confusedly. 'Handsome' was not an appropriate answer to the question 'are you feeling all right'.

"Huh?" Elphaba blinked, and looked at Nessa as if seeing her for the first time.

"Are you feeling all right?" She asked again, more slowly.

"Yeah, fine." She returned to staring at her chosen student. They were closer now, and Nessa could see that she was staring at one of two. There was a shorter woman in front, being pursued by a taller man. Elphaba was staring at the man dreamily.

"Who's handsome?" Nessa tried to match Elphaba's gaze, when suddenly her question answered itself.

_Fiyero. _The name sounded off golden bells in her mind. He was the best you could desperately dream for in the world of men, the absolute extreme of idealism. Nessa forgot the rose-cut sandwich and settled for staring at Fiyero, hindsight kicking in.

_Fiyero was so kind to me yesterday…_ She thought. _And I spurned him so cruelly that he's gone and fallen in love with another. Stupid Nessa! _Fiyero and his pursue-ee got closer. Nessa could tell it was Galinda.

_You'll just have to win him back. _Nessa continued thinking to herself. _You're good enough. You can do it. _Fiyero and Galinda were even closer now; Nessa could see all the reasons Elphaba was staring at him him plain as day.

Elphaba. Nessa glared at her sister, her rival. She tossed her lunch at her.

"I'm not hungry." She said flatly. She didn't need Elphaba to do anything for her. If she played her cards right- and found out what in Oz her cards were- then Fiyero would probably be willing to help make her lunch, and she would love him all the more for it, if that were even possible.

* * *

Norri waited outside the girl's dorm, waiting it to happen. Several reliable sources, his _other_ friends in Life Sciences, had told him Boq was writing a song with Elphaba's name in it. Guessing Boq intended to sing to Elphaba tonight, he waited behind bushes, waiting for Boq to make a fool of himself. 

He was not disappointed. About the time eleven rolled around, Boq showed up in his best suit with a red rose in one hand and a piece of paper in another. _It helps if you _memorize_ the song, idiot. _Norri thought as Boq searched for a rock to throw at Elphaba's window. He didn't miss, but the rock fell of Norri's head after rebounding off the window. It was all he could do not to cry out, and was glad that Boq had used a little pebble instead of a larger stone. The window opened, and Elphaba stared out. Her nightgown was conservative- plain navy frock without any decoration at all, sleeves down to her wrists and neckline up to her collarbone. Very different from the flighty nightgowns Norri knew some girls wore to bed. She glared down at Boq for having interrupted her sleep, if she had been asleep. Boq smiled up at her stupidly.

"Elphaba, I wasn't joking last night. I would never joke about things like that." He knelt down on one knee, shifting a little bit to get the right position before finally looking up again to sing.

_This is it,_ thought Norri, the suspense killing him.

"With all of my heart, with all my mind…" He read off the piece of paper dutifully. The song sounded out of place without some kind of accompaniment, and Boq was just the slightest bit out of tune singing a capella. Elphaba vanished from the window, and another face took its place. Galinda, her hair in curlers and wearing white silk sleeveless nightgown, stared out adoringly, trying to pretend the song was for her.

"Oh, Boq!" She breathed. Boq faltered a bit at the new and unwanted attentions. He hadn't accounted for Galinda trying to be at the window, but kept singing in hopes Elphaba would come back.

"Uh...I'm in love with an angel left for me to find…" He continued, squinting at the words in the low moonlight. He looked up again, and Elphaba was back in the window, having pushed Galinda aside. She held a large glass of water in her hands. Jerking her hand suddenly, the contents spilled down on Boq's head, leaving him sputtering the next line.

"Can it!" She said loudly, then shut the window and retreated back into her room. Boq knelt there for a stunned second, then stood and shook the water out of his suit jacket sadly. Norri snickered, but held his laughter in until he was away from the scene. Then he could laugh out loud until Pigs flew across the night sky.

* * *

"How can you be so mean to him, Elphaba?!" Galinda demanded after Elphaba closed the window. Elphaba shrugged. 

"He's an idiot. And his song sucked." Elphaba placed the glass, now empty, on a dresser and climbed back into her bed. She had been having a lovely dream with Fiyero in it. Even more than that, it was the first time she had imagined being loved and comforted. No matter who it was about, she had always longed for dreams like that.

"You barely heard any of it! You could have at least listened!" Galinda whined, still sad that the flower and song hadn't been for her sake. "He had a rose and everything…" She added quietly, her voice cracking with tears.

"He can keep it. I'm not a roses kind of girl." Elphaba rolled over, trying to think of the best position that would have her dreaming again the fastest. Galinda walked over to her bed slowly, thinking about Boq's song. She had woken up to Boq singing, a wonderful sound in her mind.

_Wait…_ Galinda thought as she pulled up the fluffy pink duvet. _He would have known that Elphaba's not a roses girl…I'm a rose girl… and he never actually_ said _her name…_ She stared up at the ceiling in horror. _That song _was_ for me! Elphaba scared off my lover! _She made a mental note to put bugs and dirt in Elphaba's sheets next time she had the opportunity as she settled back into bed.


	3. Day Three

**Disclaimer: Wicked is not mine. Libraries and their books are not mine. Norri does technically belong to me, but I stopped liking him after this chapter. Renaht's still cool; he can still belong to me. Anybody want Norri?...**

**Pairings: Well...Oz, I'm not even recording these anymore. I have everything! EVERYTHING, I TELL YOU!!!**

**Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian**

* * *

Norri sat in the library, for once reading a book that wasn't translated by a scribbler in the margins, but actually studying. He had to; even though he would rather be having more fun, he needed to do some work or else he would start failing something. And then it would be even harder to balance fun and study. Renaht approached him and put his hands down on the table. Norri looked up. 

"Hello? Studying?" Norri said, hoping his friend realized that the big book in front of him wasn't _the_ book.

"You've been abusing that thing," Renaht said outright, not looking pleased. "When you found it, you said you could make people happy. I saw you in History yesterday with Fiyero and Galinda-" Norri rolled his eyes.

"Renaht, he's still not competition, and you know it. Last time I checked, both Thropps are after him."

"_What_?!" Renaht cried. A few people studying around him gave him nasty looks. He looked back at Norri, lowering his voice. "I thought it was just Elphaba!"

"Renaht, keep up! Galinda loves Boq, Boq loves Elphaba, Elphaba _and_ Nessa love Fiyero, and Fiyero loves Galinda!" Norri snapped his book shut. "It's not that hard." Renaht stared at him. Norri wrinkled his forehead in puzzlement. "Or did I forget to tell you?"

"And how many of those are going to end up happy? Like you promised," Renaht asked, confronting his friend. Norri shifted a little bit.

"Well, there are two guys to three girls, so it's going to be hard-"

"I don't care if it's hard, do it!" Renaht commanded. Norri sighed and opened the book. He glanced around for his favorite targets. Boq was there, and Elphaba at a study table right in his line of sight. How coincidentally perfect.

Slowly, he began chanting under his breath….

* * *

Elphaba tried to read her book, but felt too out of it, like someone had slipped her something stronger to drink than traditional party punch. _That's what Fiyero is to me,_ she thought, now not even pretending to read. _An alcohol. A brain-reducing, all-consuming alcohol._

_But I love him for it._ She smiled to herself at the thought, and began thinking of her favorite thing; her wedding to Fiyero. It would be in spring, she knew it, with everything blooming. She would try to resemble a flower- she had the green thing going and everything- but wasn't sure what kind of cake he liked best. She couldn't plan the cake without…

….Boq telling her what kind he wanted. Yes, it had been Boq all along, hadn't it? She had fallen for the one that glimmered and completely ignored the gold. She and Boq were really a lot alike, weren't they? People didn't like them because they were different, so they both kept getting the short end of the stick. None of that mattered anymore, however. They had each other now. Cautiously, she stood up and approached Boq. He turned. They stared at each other for a minute.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba blurted out.

"You're forgiven," Boq said with equal speed. Another second passed, and then suddenly they were kissing, completely lost in their now mutual love.

* * *

Renaht watched the two, slightly disturbed by the picture Boq and Elphaba created together and the power of the spell. They had exchanged all of four words, and were suddenly making out? The kiss was awkward, as well. She was at least eight inches taller than Boq, bending over uncomfortably while Boq stood on tiptoe. 

"What?" Norri asked suspiciously, seeing his friend's expression.

"They don't look right," Renaht voiced aloud. It actually was troubling. The two didn't blend well. Salt and sugar, though he couldn't tell who had which role.

"Oh, just great!" Norri began sarcastically. "You get on my back, pressuring me to finally make at least _one _mutual set, and now you criticize my match because they don't _look _right?!" Renaht backed down a little bit, but Norri was on a roll. "It doesn't matter what they look like together! They're finally _happy_! _Nothing_ can go wrong for them!"

"_Elphaba, how could you!?_" The terrible shriek shattered the studious calm of the library. Heads turned to the opened door. Galinda was staring at Boq and Elphaba, somewhere in between flabbergasted and heartbroken. Boq and Elphaba finally pulled away to see what the disturbance was, but remained close. Norri paled. He had completely forgotten that Galinda was in love with Boq, too.

"Uh oh," Renaht said quietly. Norri just sat there, horrified at the mess he had made.

* * *

Galinda stormed through the main library, her anger boiling over. That two-timing, hypocritical, green-faced _fiend!_ Boq comes to sing to her, and she throws water at him, and then _kisses_ him the next day?! Who did she think she was?! Galinda could feel tears on her face as she neared the two. Elphaba just stared at her, completely baffled, still arm-in-arm with Boq. Galinda stomped right up to her and slapped her across the face. The smack resounded through the silenced library. 

"You stay far, far away from Boq, do you hear me!" She screeched. Before Elphaba could recover, she took Boq by the shoulders and kissed him forcefully. _I love you!_ Her mind screamed at him. _I love you! Please, please love me! _Boq managed to shove her off, spitting and coughing. Elphaba righted herself, honestly having no idea what had provoked Galinda to slap her.

"Galinda, what in Oz did you do that for?!" She retaliated, slapping Galinda back. Nearby students put down their books and started to surround the pair. Somebody started up the 'fight' chant, and students began to exchange bets on which would be the victor.

* * *

Renaht tugged on Norri's sleeve. 

"We've got to stop them! Use the neutralization!" He said urgently, trying not to attract the attention of the spectators. Norri was panicking, looking from the book to the tightening knot of students. He had never expected anything like _this_ to happen.

"I don't know what would happen!" Norri said. "Remove the problem. Get Boq out of there. I'll cast another spell on him so the fight will stop, and then we'll...um, go from there." Renaht nodded. It wasn't a very good plan, but it was enough to buy them some time to sort this out. He slipped into the crowd to find Boq.

* * *

The fight wasn't pretty, mostly because it was so one-sided. Elphaba targeted Glinda, Boq tried to act as Elphaba's shield, and Galinda refused to cause harm to Boq, leaving her only able to defend against Elphaba's retaliatory onslaught. Renaht pulled Boq out, leaving the two girls free in one-on-one combat. They were more evenly matched than expected. 

"No! Elphaba!" Boq tried to pull away from Renaht, but Renaht held on for all he was worth, hoping his words would make a bigger impression than his actions.

"If we don't go for help, someone will get hurt!" He whispered urgently. The crowd was pushing Boq further and further from the fight, each person competing for a better view. Boq continued to struggle madly. "Elphaba might get hurt!"

Instantly Renaht was bowled over as Boq ran in the opposite direction. Renaht had said the magic words. He caught a glimpse of Norri, unnecessarily barricaded under a study table, beginning to read from the book. Renaht picked himself up and tried to run after Boq to make sure the spell worked, hoping that he would be able to keep up. He had never seen someone with such short legs run so fast before.

_And please let him see a girl first…_Renaht thought as he sprinted after the Munchkin.

* * *

Boq felt his eyes smarting from speed, his heart racing as that boy's words resounded in his head. _Elphaba might get hurt…Elphaba might get hurt…_ He turned again, barreling through the hallways at full speed. Where was the faculty when you _wanted_ them?! _Elphaba might get hurt…_He crashed through a door, and instantly sprinted into something large and heavy. A girl screamed. Boq was pitched into a flying roll, having just ran over Nessa's chair.

_Nessa!_ Ignoring his own pain, he scrambled to a kneeling position. Nessa was lying a few feet away from the overturned chair. Boq allowed himself a brief moment of awe, for even in her weakest moment, Nessa was strong. How could he have imagined he loved the other Thropp? Nessarose was the beauty in the family.

* * *

Renaht immediately saw Norri's spell had taken effect. He retreated back to the fight.

* * *

"Nessa!" Boq moved next to Nessa, his rose, his idol. "Nessa, are you all right?!" Gently, he flipped Nessa over and held her in his lap. So much strength, and yet always so gentle.

"Fine," Nessa felt more shaken, scared by having been thrown from her chair and blushing angrily as Boq held her. Where was Fiyero when she wanted him?

"Nessa, I'm so, so sorry…" He said. He should have watched where he was going! Avoided all of this pain, all this failure…It was his fault he had knocked Nessa down, glorious, beautiful Nessa!

"Its _fine_," Nessa said coldly. "Could you just put me back in my chair?!" Boq lifted her gently, close to tears at his mistake and at being so close to the one he loved. He placed her in her chair and arranged the pillows behind her.

"There," He stepped back to get a full view. She was always so refined and dignified in her chair. Nessa promptly started wheeling herself away. "Perfect."

"Yes," Nessa responded shortly. That _was_ just perfect, that Boq would blunder into her and lose precious time searching for Fiyero. It was then Boq fully noticed she was leaving.

"Wait!" He called after her. "Let me make it up to you! Where are you going?" Nessa couldn't stand the unwanted attention. She had to find Fiyero. Boq would try to slow her down, she was sure. Everybody would try to slow her down, the cripple. They were against her and Fiyero. But they would be together; she would make sure of it!

"Away from you," She said as she continued down the hallway. "Besides, you'll just tip my chair over again!" Well, maybe not, but she didn't neet him to find Fiyero. She didn't need anyone but him.

"No!" Boq started after Nessa. "I didn't mean to do that, Nessa! Nessa!" Boq slowed as the reality that she wanted nothing to do with him set in. "I love you," he said quietly, but Nessa heard him in the deserted hallway. She wheeled around angrily.

"And what should make me believe you?!" She said sharply. "It's all over the school! Last night, you went to sing to Elphaba and profess your love for _her,_ and now you're trying to tell me you love _me_?!"

"I was wrong!" Boq tried to begin, words hindering the expression of emotion. "I didn't know-"

"You never do stuff like that without _knowing_." Nessa said harshly, turning her chair around to leave again. "Stop trying, Boq. Go back to Elphaba."

All Boq could do was stand there in the hall, thinking of how miserable he was as a person.

* * *

Galinda had gained the upper hand in the fight: She had used her purse. The collection of small, hard objects was just the thing to subdue her opponent, her competition. Never did the word 'friend' come to mind. 

The crowd cheered in support as Galinda finally moved in for the 'kill'. Elphaba, beaten, and ready to give up, would not be shown mercy. Galinda knelt down next to her, beating her back repeatedly with the small white handbag.

"And that's for betraying me!" She cried out, beating Elphaba once, very hard. "And that's for hurting Boq!" Another whack. "And that's for turning around and _kissing him_!" Three strategically placed blows, and Glinda finally stood, declaring herself the winner.

"Hey! Everybody!" Renaht ran in, shouting to the crowd. "Boq just left with Nessa!" Galinda dropped her 'weapon' in shock. Had all that had been for nothing?!

"Boq!" She screamed shrilly, fighting through the crowd to the exit. "Boq!" The people dispersed, leaving Elphaba on the ground. Nobody moved to help her, returning to their studies as the entertainment was finished.

Renaht breathed a sigh of relief as the people finally moved on, the fight ended. Instantly, he reeled on Norri.

"Norri, give me that book now." Renaht commanded. "People have been hurt for real now. You're too dangerous."

"None of that would have happened if I had just kept having fun!" Norri argued. "The instant I try to do something for the good of others, it completely backfires. The clock-tick I have a two-way pair, there's a third that's completely devastated. Why harm the third party? Leave everybody chasing someone, and they'll all be none the wiser."

"I'm going to say what I did before; these are real people, with real feelings, and-" Renaht began.

"Magically-induced feelings," Norri corrected. Renaht scowled at him.

"They feel real to them! How would you like it if someone went around changing the way your brains work?"

"They're all friends, so they all like each other well enough. It just takes a little push to turn it to love."

"Do you think Galinda and Elphaba are friends anymore? Things were just starting to calm down in their room, now they're going to be back to arguing nonstop!"

"So I just cast the spell again! If they're distracted, then they don't care!"

"You can't just keep distracting them forever! Remember the Wizard's story about a terrible place called Rome, with it's circuses?"

"He told us that because people thought he was avoiding his duties, but we all know he wasn't. It was power-hungry troublemakers telling lies as usual."

"That's not the point! The point is people don't stay distracted forever! You need to fix things! _Now_!"

"I can do whatever I want! Watch!" Norri flipped to the familiar page just as the door to the library opened. He began chanting, and walked away to hide behind some shelves. Fiyero walked in, searching for someone. He saw Renaht and approached him. Renaht began to got closer.

"Hey, have you seen Galinda?" Fiyero began, looking straight at Renaht. "I've been looking all over for her, and I think I saw her come in here a little while ago-"

"Yes! I have!" Renaht cut him off, fearful for his own sanity, or maybe Fiyero's. He pointed off to where Galinda and Elphaba had been fighting moments ago. "Over there!"

"Thanks," Fiyero patted Renaht on the back and went off in the direction Renaht had indicated. Renaht strained his ears to see if Norri had stopped chanting.

"Norri, who did you cast the spell on?" Renaht continued to stare down a section of the floor. If it was him, and he looked at his friend, that would be the worst thing he could imagine.

"Fiyero, of course. I wouldn't do something like that to you." Norri said. Renaht whipped around to face Norri. "Unless you're so pathetic you _want_ to be in love with a guy." Norri smiled at him annoyingly. Renaht pulled back his fist and punched him in the face. Hard.

* * *

"Galinda?" Fiyero called down the empty shelves, most of the spectators gone from that area of the library. "Are you here? Galinda?" Fiyero checked down a row, then another, before finally finding the unlikely girl of his dreams. 

Elphaba was leaning against one of the shelves, shaking gently with tears. The tragedy and beauty blended into a bitter sweetness, a desire to end the pain filling her. To end Elphaba's pain…to finally make her happy… He knelt by her side, smoothing the large clumps of black hair that had come loose from her braid. Oz, did she have beautiful hair. She stiffened, but did not move away.

"What's wrong, Elphaba?" Fiyero asked gently. "You can tell me," Elphaba didn't look at him, staring at the large books on the opposite shelf. Elphaba continued crying, her voice wavering as she finally spoke, more to herself than to Fiyero.

"I loved him," she said, her tone growing louder as she spoke. "I loved him, and he kissed me, and now he's gone running after _Nessa_!" Fiyero's heart fell. She loves another? No, loved. She used past tense. There was still hope. Fiyero brushed aside some hair from her face, revealing a large, unbecoming bruise on her neck.

"Elphaba! Who did that to you!?" Fiyero demanded. He would pay! Whoever it was would be punished for causing pain to Elphaba!

"Galinda," Elphaba moved the hair back to cover the bruise. Fiyero tried to move the hair off, but she stopped him. "No. I deserved to keep it forever. We fought over him, and I lost. And she lost. And why should we even play the game when the rules keep changing and you don't know which ones you can break?!"

_It doesn't matter._ Fiyero thought. _I would break them all for you, caution to the wind. My Elphaba…_

"Fiyero…" Elphaba said quietly. "Could you do something for me?" Fiyero sat up straighter. She needed him.

"Anything," He said. _Give the word. Dry your tears. Remove your pain. Trade places with you in death. Just tell me and it's done._

"Could you tell Boq…that I still love him?" It's Boq. Boq was the source of her misery, and she still runs to him for love and comforting. Fiyero felt the unfairness in it all. Two men: Him, the amazing handsome prince of every girl's dreams willing to give everything to you for the slimmest chance of spending a minute in your company, or Boq, the freakishly tall Munchkin who would dump you in an instant and run after your sister, the spoiled brat Nessa is. It would be an obvious choice, wouldn't it?

But it's what she wants. There was a possibility, a tiny glimmer of hope that she would see sense and turn to him. Do what she wants, and show her that when he fails her again, she can turn to him.

"I'll do it," Fiyero said. She'll see eventually, and Fiyero could wait until then. He would have to wait; she didn't want anything to do with him now.

"Thank you," Elphaba said, turning back to the shelves. Fiyero stood, longing to say something, to tell her, but the moment wasn't right. Elphaba was still sad over her spurned love for Boq, and wouldn't listen to another word from him. Reluctantly, he left the library. _Wait it out, Fiyero._ He thought to himself. _Wait it out. Someday you'll be together._

_

* * *

_

Boq sat on a bench, counting stones in the road. He was too late; by the time he had left the library, Nessa was nowhere to be found. What was it that made women hate him so much? Something along the lines of 'Elphaba' registered in his head, but he didn't think about it, not fully understanding what it meant. Anyway, he was still too sad over his rejected love for Nessa.

"Boq." He glanced up. Fiyero was walking toward him, steely cool with a hint of displeasure radiating from him. "I have to tell you something." Boq frowned. Usually, Fiyero didn't have much to do with him, always off to find the latest exciting party.

"What is it?" Boq asked. If Fiyero had come to talk to him, it had to be pretty important. Fiyero closed his eyes and took a deep breath. he considered how easy it would be to just not tell Boq, but that would mean breaking his promise to Elphaba. Still, he hesitated. He hated saying things like this.

"Elphalovsu." He blurted. _There. I said it._ Fiyero could barely contain his anger. _You, Boq. She loves you. I hope you're happy!_ Boq stared at him.

"What?" Fiyero blinked, a small thought piercing the black rage. _I said it too fast... _

"Elphaba..." He repeated slowly, trying not to let the words get under his skin too much further. "...loves..." _Me, _Fiyero thought. _She should love me!_ "...you." He finished regretfully. Boq raised his eyebrows in surprise. So that's what 'Elphaba' meant! Not all women hated him; only the freaks didn't. Fiyero interpreted his silence as uncomprehension. "Do I need to spell it out?" Fiyero asked sharply. Boq held up his hands.

"No, I understand. Well..." How did you let a girl down gently? It was harder in practice than in theory. "I'm...flattered by the attention, and...um..."

"Try to understand _this,_ Boq." Fiyero cut him off. "Elphaba is lying there in the library, having just been physically _beaten_ by competition for your affections, and she loves you so much she won't see a doctor or anyone to help her!" Boq looked at him pleadingly.

"You probably think it's unfair, but I can't go back in there and pretend to love her. I love Nessa."

"Who are you?" Fiyero almost shouted. "What are you? 'I would do anything for you, Miss Galinda!'" He used a cruel impersonation of Boq's slightly nasal voice. "Then, barely days later, you go and sing to Elphaba's window! _Then _you leave her heartbroken on the floor as you go off and chase her _sister_?!" Boq looked at his shoes. _That's right, feel her pain._ Fiyero thought triumphantly.

"I know what it looks like," Boq said slowly. "And I know it wouldn't be right. But...things have been strange lately." Boq placed his forearms on his knees, staring out across the quad. "It's hard to explain, but the world seems to change every other clock-tick. Things look...different." Fiyero blinked. He knew that feeling. Thinking one thing with uptmost conviction, then finding that something else was the real truth.

"It's been so confusifying, I can barely stand it." Fiyero's anger disipated slowly as he recognized exactly what Boq was talking about. It was odd, like when you look at a brand new face and think that you've seen it before. Slowly, he sat down beside Boq as he continued.

"I keep trying to find something to hold on to, something I know will never change." He looked at Fiyero. "And I am deathly serious when I say this. I don't love Elphaba. I love Nessa." Fiyreo stared at him for a moment. Nessa or no, Boq didn't have the sense to leave Elphaba gracefully. Fiyero stood up again, towering over the seated Munchkin.

"Tell that to her yourself." He said. "Even in rejection, you'd just make her day." He turned and walked off, pounding his frustration into the sidewalk with his shoes.

* * *

Norri entered his room. Renaht was sitting at his desk, studying as his candle burned low. He didn't even look up. 

"Renaht, I'm sorry." Norri said quietly as he unpacked his book bag. Renaht stayed focused on his textbook.

"Don't apologize to me," Renaht said. "Apologize to Elphaba. Apologize to Boq. To Nessa. To Galinda. To Fiyero." Renaht finally looked at Norri, eyes full of loathing. "And I hope they punch you in the face, too." Norri looked away, trying to fend off waves of guilt as he raised a hand to the purpling bruise on his cheek.

_It's my book. _Norri thought with resolve as he changed for bed. _Does it matter what I do with it? Things will blow over. I know they will._


	4. Day Four

**Disclaimer: Okay, the truth is what everybody agrees on. Let's all agree that I own Wicked and the characters. Then everybody else will be called big liars. Who's with me? _I said, who_-? -is mauled by copyright attorneys- **

**Pairings: Do we have to go over this _again_? Norri's twistified. If you've stuck with me so far, that should explain everything.**

**Note: The greatest honor you can pay an author is reviewing and favoriting. Or favouriting. If you're British. **

**Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian**

* * *

Norri scanned the rows of heads in the colosseum-like assembly hall as he awaited the announcements for next week, wondering if there were any other combinations to create with his little test subjects. He had already used most of the really odd pairs, and was considering drawing someone else into his little experiment, but decided against it. Renaht's scolding from last night was getting to him. He shouldn't drag anybody else into his mess or else he would weave such a tangled mess it would be impossible to figure out who he had magic spelled or not. He also flirted with expulsion, if Morrible found out that he was casting spells on the students. 

Though it just wasn't _fair_. Yesterday, he didn't even get to see any of his mischief. Boq had fallen for Nessa out in the hallway, and he had still been recovering from Renaht's fisted outburst when Fiyero's spell had triggered. He could only guess it was Elphaba because of the direction Renaht had sent him off in. She was the only one left from the fight, the spectators fled for fear of being connected to the brawl.

From his vantage point in the higher levels, he could see Elphaba's isolated seat in the front with a deliberately empty chair in every direction. She was sitting awkwardly, as if determined not to let certain parts of her back touch the chair. Fiyero was three rows behind her to deter suspicion, but still staring at her.

_So he did see Elphaba..._ Norri thought as he searched for the other three. Nessa was as easy to spot as her sister, the only one not sitting neatly in a row. Next to her was Boq, staring at Nessa, and Galinda next to Boq, staring at him. Nessa was looking away from both of them, studying Fiyero wistfully. That's what was so much fun about this; making circles, lines, and squares of people in love. Still, he couldn't do anything in the crowded assembly hall. There were too many people to see and accidentally drag into this mess. Norri tapped his chewed pencil on his leg impatiently. To pass the time, he pulled out a scrap of paper and wrote E, B, N, F, and G in a kind of pentagon, mapping their passions with little arrows, wondering how best to shake things up on the fourth day, keeping in mind his hard-learned lesson that mutual sets caused pain and resentment. After erasing a few arrows and drawing new ones in, he finally got the greatest idea ever. It would be hard to pull off, but worth it if he did.

Grinning madly, he tried to pay attention, shoving aside the insanely fun prospect ahead of him.

* * *

The announcements ended about half an hour later. Boq turned to Nessa immediately. 

"I have a really, really quick question for Dr. Ribino, for history." Nessa nodded.

"Go," she tried to tell him, but he kept explaining himself.

"I'll be right back to help you get to Life Sciences, okay?" Nessa waved a hand irritably. _Why wouldn't he just leave?!_

"I get it! Go and ask him! I'll be fine!" Galinda tried to ignore the two until Boq left. It was hard to watch Boq pay so much attention to Nessa and not get unreasonably jealous, so she just pretended it didn't happen. Nessa started wheeling herself out of the hall, not waiting for Boq. Galinda followed her, not sure how to ask the question.

"Uh…Nessa?" Galinda asked nervously. Nessa looked up.

"Yes?" Galinda swallowed. This was so unlike her, asking someone else rather than doing it herself.

"You know Boq?" Nessa made a face.

"Yes, he's been following me. It's really annoying." She said flatly. Galinda blinked. Boq, annoying? He was perfect, absolutely wonderful in every way-

_Oh! Perfect for _you_! Not perfect for Nessa. No hard feelings._ Galinda thought, and relaxed.

"What about Boq?" Nessa asked. Galinda swished her skirt back and forth. This felt so awkward.

"Do you think…or, uh, would it be convenifying for you to…um, would it be too much trouble if…" Nessa smiled warmly.

"Spit it out, Galinda." She said teasingly.

"Could you get Boq to talk to me!" She blurted. Nessa looked confused. _What an odd request..._

"Sure," She said at last. "It's not that big of a deal. I'll do it."

"Thank you!" Galinda squealed giddily. All she needed was Boq's attention, and she could do the rest. Nessa nodded, surprised anyone wanted to talk to Boq. Really. Galinda looked past Nessa's chair quickly. "Here he comes!" She whispered excitedly, hurrying away and taking up a kind of strut in the flood of students leaving the assembly hall. A moment later, Boq was beside Nessa's chair.

"I hadn't known you had left!" He said brightly, taking up his position behind Nessa's chair. This must be her idea of a game, seeing if he would always be able to find her. He hoped maybe this time, he would be rewarded. A small smile, a 'thank you, Boq'. That's all he wanted in life. Still, she was oddly quiet, staring at her shoes as Boq pushed her.

"Is something troubling you, Nessa?" Boq asked gently. Nessa looked up.

"It's Galinda." She began. Boq looked puzzled. What did Galinda have to do with Nessa? Galinda, the stuck-up little blonde that expected everything she wanted, unaware of those more deserving than her? "She hasn't been acting herself lately." Boq could dimly remember how she had acted in the library before he had realized Nessa was his true love, overly possessive and practically insane.

"She's a good friend of mine, Boq. You know that, right?" Boq nodded urgently. However crazy Galinda may be, a friend of Nessa's would be a friend of his. "I've tried everything to get her acting like herself again, but no luck." Nessa turned fully in her chair, her soft eyes begging. Boq could feel his heartbeat speed up as she spoke.

"Could you talk to her? It would mean everything to me to see her happy again." Immediately Boq knew what he should do. He stopped the chair and took Nessa's hands. She seemed startled, but didn't pull away.

"You won't mind if I do it now?" Boq asked. Nessa nodded enthusiastically. Boq smiled. He could at least do this for her. "I won't let you down!" He rushed off to find Galinda. Nessa sighed, relieved. That went easier than expected.

* * *

Galinda's feet kept time to her heart, going much, much faster than she wanted them to. She scrambled to get her heart under control. Nessa was going to send Boq to talk to her. Boq, talk to her! She made a mental note to thank Nessa until the end of time, find some way to repay her. She kept repeating his name to herself, using it to slow down her steps. _Boq, Boq, Boq, Boq, Fiyero, Fiyero…_Fiyero? 

And she saw him truly for the first time. He was walking in front of her, a tall example of handsome excellence. Yes, Fiyero was perfect. And so was she. Anyone could see they deserved each other. Nobody should ever keep them apart, not even herself. She sped up to catch him, taking his arm. He stiffened slightly, then realized it was her and relaxed again, watching where he was going.

"Hello, dearest." Galinda said when he refused to greet her. Fiyero glanced at her blankly.

"Hey, Galinda." She smiled to herself happily. Fiyero and Galinda forever. _Go us..._

"It's been a while since we went out, Fiyero," She leaned her head against his arm. He looked away.

"Yeah, there just hasn't been a really good party lately." Galinda pouted a little.

"Well, could we just go out?" Galinda suggested. "Maybe to a nice restaurant…" Fiyero frowned slightly, and was just about to respond when Boq came.

"Hello, Galinda!" He tried to psych himself up, trying to ignore the fact he wanted to go back to Nessa. Galinda spared him a glance.

"Hi." She said. Boq walked next to them for a moment, amazed by how beautiful Galinda was. He swallowed. Why had he come here again? To be with Galinda, the love of his life forever. Yes, that was it. The Thropps were just weird; Elphaba, the green, snippy, shrewish one, and Nessa, the crippled, whining, spoiled one. Galinda was just perfect, not a single flaw.

"Ah…feeling all right?" Boq asked nervously, wondering if he looked like an idiot. Galinda nodded slightly, still leaning into Fiyero's arm. "How was your morning?" _Yes. Keep talking. It gives you an excuse to stay…_Galinda made her innocent face.

"Elphie's being really _mean,_" she said childishly. "She silent-treated me all morning, and I have no clue why!"

"That's so unfair!" Boq said immediately. Nobody should ever make his beautiful Galinda feel shunned, not even people the rest of society shuns. Fiyero refused to look at Galinda.

"Maybe you'd know if you paid more attention to her needs." He said with slow deliberation. _I'd pay attention. And she goes after clueless_ Munchie _over there. What's he up to now?_ Galinda's eyes widened in surprise.

"I pay attention to her needs, and she _needs_ a good hair-styling, but she won't let me touch her, even!"

"I wonder why," Fiyero muttered, thinking of the large bruise on Elphaba's neck, his only love forever. And Galinda didn't know that _she_ had caused her roommate so much pain? Unlikely. Boq and Galinda began talking mindlessly, Galinda making a statement, Boq agreeing with her, no matter what she said. Fiyero zoned out, thinking of the day that Elphaba would finally love him. Nothing could ever go wrong in Oz after that day.

* * *

Nessa watched Boq and Galinda boredly, thankful for the space to breathe. Boq could sometimes get a little overbearing, hanging off of her like some kind of ball-and-chain. She wheeled herself along, thinking about her fresh independence while Boq spoke to Galinda. She didn't have to make sure he knew where he was going. She didn't have to sit there, feeling useless. She didn't have him, always there and ready to help; ready to make her dreams come true… 

_You want Boq back, _Nessa realized in shock as she saw Boq, Galinda and Fiyero getting farther and farther in front of her. They just kept talking, completely oblivious to her plight behind them. She tried to go faster, her arms giving out under the strain of having to push so fast. She searched the front of the pack to find Elphaba, a flash of green, but couldn't see anything. That was the strangest thing; Elphaba was always early to classes! She couldn't find her anywhere in the crowd, Boq was getting too far away; too far ahead…she couldn't reach him…

"Boq?" She called desperately, urging the chair to go as fast as it could, but still wasn't fast enough. She should never have let him leave her! She would never let him leave her again! "Boq!"

* * *

Norri turned off from the main group of students, satisfied by his successes. He wondered what hilarities they would get up to as he approached his lecture hall. Seeing Renaht, he sped up to meet his friend. Renaht held up a hand in front of Norri's path before he could fall in step with him. 

"Did you return the book?" He asked coldly. Norri raised his eyebrows.

"Uh...no, not yet-" Renaht turned away, taking the long route to classes to stay away from Norri.

"Then I'm not your friend." Renaht said over his shoulder scornfully. Norri watched him go. 'I'm not your friend'? How childish.

But true. Norri allowed himself to be swept to the lecture hall by the flood of students. Was his little game worth it if he paid with a friendship?

* * *

Elphaba lay on her bed, staring at her discarded textbooks on the floor. Classes had been almost unbearable with Galinda, the puzzling fear of what had driven her to such a violent attack driving her to stay away from her roommate. She had been used to painful beatings from Frex, but Elphaba had allowed the bruises and scars to heal over the past month, thanking goodness that she was so far away from Frex and his ringed fist. She hadn't expected Galinda to fill Frex's role. 

Elphaba closed her eyes, trying to relive the greatest moment of her life. The kiss itself hadn't been that fantastic; it was what the kiss represented that made it so amazing. Someone had wanted her enough not to pull away at her touch. He had wanted to be close, wanted to be close _to her_. Loving, and knowing her loved her back. It was simple bliss, so pure, so strong…

_Elphaba, how could you?!_ No. Stop. Go back. Galinda spelled the end of her dreams. Everything that she had desperately hoped for in her wildest dreams had always been given freely to Galinda. She heard the door click quietly open in the silent room. She knew who it was. She curled up tighter, her muscles tensing in anticipation of a blow.

"Elphie?" Galinda asked tentatively. Elphaba tried to hold in tears. Galinda wanted her to talk to her before she struck again. Maybe say something about how she deserved it, she had it coming...

"Go away..." she said pitifully, hoping to avoid Galinda entirely. Galinda stood at the doorway for a moment. Why was Elphaba being like this? Was she sick?

"Elphie, it's my room too," Galinda began. "I can't be kicked out of my own room." Elphaba sat up abruptly, visibly wincing at the effort. _That's new…_Galinda thought as Elphaba withdrew her suitcase from under her bed. She collected her textbooks from the floor and shoved them inside, filling out the corners with personal items from her bedside table.

"Then I'm going." Elphaba turned, trying to find other things to pack. Galinda felt a stab at her heart as Elphaba passed over the pointy black hat, leaving it on the dresser dejectedly.

"What? Elphie! You can't leave!" Galinda snatched the suitcase, but Elphaba grabbed the other end, twisting it deftly and breaking Galinda's grasp. She threw it aside on the bed, facing Galinda head-on for the first time that day.

"You're always telling me what I can't do!" Elphaba said accusingly, but still remembering who held the power now. Galinda had the power to beat her senseless, like Frex had. "You can't wear violet with green! You can't make sarcastic comments at people!" She felt the words choke in her throat. "You can't…have everything…that I have!" Galinda stared at Elphaba in shock. What had she _done_, for Oz sake?!

"Elphie, could you calm down enough to tell me what I did?!" Elphaba stared at her for a second. How could she just pretend it didn't happen? Galinda blinked up at her with honest confusion. _How about a little reminder… _Elphaba turned slowly, lifting the back of her jacket and sweater to show Galinda her back. She heard the sharp intake of breath as Galinda saw the array of black and purple bruises.

"You did this," Elphaba said, her arms protesting as the bruised muscles held her clothing up. "Yesterday. In the library." Galinda didn't do anything for a moment, shocked by the injuries to her roommate. Then, out of the blue, Galinda hugged her. Elphaba tried to move away, expecting some sort of attack, but was shocked to feel tears on her back. Galinda was crying.

"Elphie, I can't believe I did something like that to you!" She wailed, holding on to Elphaba tightly. Elphaba fought instinct to run, common sense telling her this was Galinda's way of trying to apologize. "That's the most horrendible thing a friend can do to another friend, and...I can't believe it!" Galinda released Elphaba from her hug, spinning her once to look at Elphaba's face. She looked up at her hazel eyes with solid determination.

"I need you more than you need me," she said, meaning every word. "But if you promise to stay, I'll promise to make it up to you!" Elphaba could only blink in shock. Galinda seemed to get attitude ajustments every other hour, apparently. Galinda hugged Elphaba again, before leaping back and sprinting out the door, calling over her shoulder, "I promise!" Elphaba just stood there, not sure what to think about this.

_It... would be nice if I could just stay..._ Elphaba thought as she dumped out her barely packed suitcase and started putting things in their proper place.

* * *

"Fiyero, what goes in a cake?" Galinda scanned the market shelves with determination, trying to find ingredients. She had told Fiyero about her plan to make Elphaba forgive her, and he had gone along with it enthusiastically, clearly thinking it was a good idea. 

_Well, of course he'd think it's a good idea. He's my boyfriend. _Galinda plucked a small bottle of vanilla off of the shelf, placing it in the shopping basket.

"There's milk and sugar in a cake, too." She turned around quickly, jumping.

"Bick?" She said in surprise. "Where's Fiyero?" Boq smiled sheepishly.

"It's Boq," He said dismissively, not really caring if she said his name right as long as she was referring to him. "Fiyero went to find other ingredients to make the shopping go faster." Galinda giggled slightly. He was so thoughtful that way...

"All right then!" She turned back to the shelf. "Hmm...How much sugar..." Galinda took the five pound bag and placed it in the shopping basket.

"I found flavoring!" Fiyero called from somewhere else in the store. "Mint and strawberry!"

"Colored?" Galinda asked. It wouldn't work if they weren't colored. Fiyero appeared at the end of the shelf, holding two small bottles triumphantly.

"Yep," He took the basket from Boq and placed the two bottles inside. Boq hid his resentment well. The more things Fiyero did for Galinda, the fewer reasons Boq had to stay.

"Bick, could you go by the pharmacy to get a balm for bruises?" Galinda asked sweetly. Boq wanted to stay so badly, but he knew he had to do what she wanted. He nodded understandingly, bolting out of the store to hasten his return. Galinda didn't even watch him go, looking up at Fiyero. He was scanning the shelves again, trying to make sure they hadn't overlooked anything.

"Do you have cream for the frosting?" He asked her. "I know the frosting's a big part of this." Galinda smiled adoringly. He always thought of others before himself. That was so _noble._

"It's so sweet you're helping..." Galinda placed her hands on his shoulders, gazing lovingly through mascaraed lashes. Fiyero smirked at her slightly, like she was a Puppy that had just gotten muddy chasing a butterfly.

"Are we going to bake Elphaba a forgiveness cake, or mess around all day?" He said, then patted Galinda's shoulder. "Focus, Galinda. Stay with me." He walked further down the aisle, checking the recipie for ingredients they didn't have yet. Galinda sighed romantically. She _would_ stay with him. No matter what, good days, bad days, sickness, Oz, even a tornado, she would always be there. She skipped slightly as she joined him, wondering about their next date after this whole 'Elphaba' thing got smoothed out.

* * *

"Renaht, would you just _listen_ to me!" Norri pleaded, trying to get his friend (rapidly becoming ex-friend) to look at him. 

"You've gone too far." Renaht said simply as he power-walked on, refusing to meet Norri's eyes.

"There's a neutralization! Everything will be fine, so I'm enjoying the ride!" Renaht spun around, finally looking at Norri.

"'Accidental pain may be remedied'!" He quoted, eyes burning with contempt for Norri. "You've made their lives miserable on purpose! And unless you fix it, and _now_, their lives are going to stay that way!" Norri almost crumbled under Renaht's pressure.

"It's fun," Norri said. "Not Oz-spread domination." Renaht stood there, rage circling in his veins, trying to think of the worst possible things that could happen to a person.

"May you be crushed by a flying house," he began, his voice low and full of malice. "May your brains turn to straw, your heart turn to tin, your nerve snap forever, and may your unclean soul be _melted_!" Renaht still stood fast, his anger finally starting to die. Norri just stared at him in shock.

"Renaht..." He said quietly, but Renaht wasn't finished.

"You are the most wicked person I have ever had the misforture of knowing, Norrinil Geshni." And Renaht stormed off.

* * *

(**For anyone who cares, it's Nor-i-nil Gesh-ni. Renaht's full name is Ren-aht Wep-ten-ah-to. But that doesn't matter.**) 


	5. Day Five

**Disclaimer: What you are about to read may or may not have happened. There might be people with green skin, there might not be cakes. But know that almost everything you are about to read belongs to Gregory Maguire and Winnie Holzman.**

**Pairings: Fewer this time...No Nessa pairings. Boq/Galinda, Galinda/Fiyero, Fiyero/Elphaba, bit of Boq/Elphaba at the beginning. It's almost refreshing to name these...**

**Keep reading and writing! -LostOzian

* * *

**

Norri stared at the book on the grass, Renaht's outburst from yesterday taking effect. Finding a book in a library gives you the liberty to make a bunch of near-strangers fall in love with each other? It was time to stop. Time to fix his mess. He sat up on his knees and flipped to the page with the love spell, but ignored the spell at the top. Instead, he went straight to the neutralization.

Slowly, he began to read the new spell…

* * *

Elphaba picked at her sandwich moodily, as if rearranging the little seeds in the bread would make her troubles go away. Boq hadn't talked to her all of yesterday, barely even looked her way. Had Fiyero told him about the way she felt? He must have. He had promised. So why hadn't Boq at least come and _talked_ to her? She felt herself slipping into a daydream about when Boq finally came and talked to her. He would apologize about Nessa, say it was all a big mistake, and then they would live together, happily ever after…._eww…_

She blinked. The dream turned from sweet to sour before she could even do anything, the idea of living with Boq repulsive instead of appealing. What was going on? She looked around, trying to find something wrong happening, but everything seemed normal. Turning back to her sandwich, she tested that her feelings were gone. The kiss with Boq?...

_I can't believe I did that,_ Elphaba thought, and for the first time in four days ate all of her lunch.

* * *

Norri breathed a sigh of relief. The neutralization had worked. Sure, a brief moment of confusion, having to hide behind a bush so she wouldn't notice him, but it worked. His eyes darted around for one of his other victims; Nessa, maybe… 

"What are you doing, Master Norrinil?" Norri jumped, which is a hard thing to do in a sitting position. Madame Morrible was standing over him, her face tinged with a hint of displeasure. _Oh, Oz…_

"N-nothing, Madame," Norri tried to say, but the word 'nothing' caught in his throat, an obvious indication he _was_ doing something. The headmistress raised one thin eyebrow in skepticism.

"What's that?" Morrible looked behind Norri at the book. Norri was in for it now. A sorceress herself, she would know the spell book for what it was.

"Ah… a book," Norri tried to conceal his nervousness. _This cannot be happening…not here, not _now

"I can tell that, Master Norrinil. May I see this book?" All Norri could do was hand the book to her. She flipped through the pages, taking in each sheet as she turned it. If there was any alarm or fear, she hid it astoundingly well. Finally, she shut the book and tucked it under her arm.

"I don't normally allow students outside of my seminar to possess books of magic, Master Norrinil." She met Norri's eyes the whole time, daring him to slip up. "Mostly due to the fact students without magical talent can be very, very _dangerous_." Norri gulped. Did she know that he had been casting spells on her favorite student and her friends?

"Did you attempt to read anything from this book?" Thank Oz, she must not have, but here came the big choice. Tell her the truth, have her fix it, get kicked out of school and possibly punished by the unfortunate five he had experimented on, or lie, leave the problem unsolved, and stay in school? He had never faced a problem so large before.

"N-no," Norri tried to look innocent. "I was trying t-to read it and make sense of the words when y-you found me." Plausible? _Oz, I hope so…_ Morrible stared at him for a long time, trying to determine if he was lying to her.

"All right then, Master Norrinil. I trust you will report activity like yours in the future," she turned to leave. Norri could feel Renaht's reaction if he found out that Morrible took the book.

"Madame Morrible!" He said quickly, trying to think of a legitimate excuse to keep it for a few minutes longer. "That's…I found it in the library," Norri said quickly. "It doesn't belong to me. I…I should return it," Morrible shook her head.

"I will reinbursify the library. It is more important that there are no stray books like this floating around for the safety of the student body," Madame Morrible's eyes narrowed. "than it is that you retain a spotless library record." And with that she walked away. Norri's heartbeat sped up in shock and fear the further she got away. He still had four to neutralize. He had left a hopeless mess. He had to find someone to help him think straight, and only one name came to mind.

* * *

Elphaba entered the dorm room, immediately noticing something was up. One, Galinda had said she was going to the room, but apparently wasn't here. Two, it looked like Galinda had finally organized her makeup desk, the one thing about the blonde that annoyed Elphaba most. Three, there was a cake in the middle of her desk, small but obviously homemade, frosted half and half with green and pink. Elphaba picked up the little card beside it. 

_Pink goes good with Green_

_I'm Sorry_

A great clatter behind her distracted Elphaba from the card. She turned to see that Galinda, Fiyero, and Boq had all tumbled out of the walk-in closet, a feature of Galinda's private suite before it became less-than-private. Elphaba tried to control a small smirk. It was just like her roommate to do something overly elaborate like baking a cake, _and_ to drag the boys into her apology as well.

"You're forgiven, Galinda," Elphaba said automatically. Galinda twisted herself around in the tangled mass, pulling her arm free from under Boq's body. Elphaba could see Boq wasn't very happy with Galinda finally managing to work her way out. "I knew you'd like it!" she declared, grabbing Elphaba in a tight hug. "There's a balm for those nasty bruises, too!" The green girl could just about feel the air being knocked out of her lungs.

"Just…don't…kill me…first," she managed, and Galinda loosened a little bit. She looked at the cake proudly, in all of its clumsily frosted glory.

"Isn't the cake adorable?" she smiled at Elphaba. "We all helped!" She glanced from Boq to Fiyero in disbelief. The two boys seemed determined to stand on their own, daring the other to ask for help.

"All of you?" she asked. Fiyero was fully standing first, turning to Elphaba and apparently not noticing Galinda's adoring glances.

"Anything to get our Elphie back," he said, meaning every word with burning conviction. Boq nodded, thinking it would help endear himself to Galinda. Elphaba rolled her eyes playfully.

"I could just about gag on the sentiment," she laughed their attention off, turning to the cake. She could barely believe they had cared enough to do this for _her_. But maybe she had just been under-appreciating them. Ever since lunch, life seemed less desperate and serious. She could ignore the little things, their college dramas, and just go on being Elphaba and being with people who thought she was all right.

"Who wants some cake?" She asked. If they had baked it, they should share in its sweetness. _But then again, I don't know how good they are as bakers,_ Elphaba thought as she took a knife to their creation, splitting it into four pieces and revealing the chocolate cake base. Two were evenly frosted pink and green, one entirely pink, and one entirely green. Elphaba looked at them carefully.

"Keeping in the nature of this…request for forgiveness," Elphaba said, thinking of how good it felt to just do something simple like this; eat cake with friends. "I think Galinda and I should get the pink-green ones." Everyone agreed, getting caught up in the effortless joy of sugar and friends. "Leaving two solid-colored ones for Fiyero and Boq."

"Pink," Boq called, right at the same instant Fiyero said, "Green." The little group laughed. _Ah, Fiyero's giving 'the Galinda slice' to Bick to be accommodating. _Galinda immediately discounted Fiyero's want of the green one as she accepted her green-pink piece. _How sweet._

They settled into relaxed conversation, the three relaying their cake-baking adventures to Elphaba. Boq swearing the cake batter would blow up on its own every time he stirred, staining their hands with the flavoring, arguing over how long it should bake for, and eating the leftover sugar raw while they waited for the cake to finish.

"The thing is, now it seems so ridiculous," Galinda waved her last bite of cake around, spilling chocolate crumbs all over the place. "But it's fun to laugh about it!"

"Our days at dear old Shiz," Elphaba said. And they all secretly agreed; this little make-up party was better than any big bash.

* * *

"_Renaht!_" Norri shouted after his friend, trying to get him to stop before he lost his strength. It had been an impossibly long search, as if Renaht was avoiding him. "I have to tell you something!" Renaht finally stopped, turning to face Norri. 

"Have you fixed the mess you made?" he asked expectantly. Norri stood there, panting for a few seconds. How could he tell Renaht?

"Yes, and no," Norri said. Renaht's face hardened. "Just listen!" Norri begged, still shaken by his encounter with the headmistress. Renaht folded his arms expectantly. _Oh, Oz help me,_ Norri thought, before finally working up the nerve to tell him.

"Morrible took the book," Renaht's eyes widened.

"What?!" He said. "You _let_ her-"

"No, I didn't let her! I got caught! I didn't want her to take the book! But," Norri held one finger, preparing to redeem himself with the good news. "I neutralized Elphaba." Renaht looked at him skeptically.

"Just Elphaba?" he asked. Norri stood there.

"Yes," he admitted at last. "Just Elphaba." Renaht smiled a very fake smile.

"Congratulations, one out of five. What does that give you on a test?" Norri could feel another knifing about to be delivered. "A fat, miserable twenty points, synonymous with utter failure." _Failure…_ Norri looked at his feet.

"If you think I haven't learned my lesson, you can continue," he said quietly. Renaht shook his head, staring at Norri.

"No, you don't need me to teach you a lesson anymore. You have guilt to do that." Norri paled a bit. "You made a mess out of their lives, and now they're going to pay the price after your mindless _fun_." Renaht's eyes bored holes in Norri's head with their intensity.

"Oz, I get it," Norri said pathetically. "You're never going to let me forget this for a clock-tick as long as I live, are you?" Renaht blinked, the only confirmation Norri needed. "Could you at least help me think of something to help fix this?"

"It's out of your hands now. You should have stopped while you had a chance." Renaht said. "I can think of a few ideas, but they're far too stupid to try."

"Name them! We need all the ideas we can get!" Norri said hurriedly. Renaht closed his eyes and sighed.

"Break into Morrible's. Read the neutralization from memory. Admit to Elphaba what you did, have her copy the neutralization." Norri grabbed at his hair in frustration.

"All of which end in my death," he said.

"So I guess you have two options," Renaht said. "Decide on a plan and I'll hire a gravedigger, or live with the insane guilt." Norri let his head loll back, staring at the sky. Would he still reach paradise if he died here and now, after all he had done?

"I can't do it," he said, broken. Renaht looked ashamed in him.

"You're a coward," he told him. "But there's nothing you can do now. Have fun guilt tripping."

"Do I have my friend back?" Renaht considered this.

"Earn my trust back. It'll be hard, but-"

"I deserve it." Norri cut Renaht off. "No. More. Lies," he promised.

"Don't forget it."

* * *

(**A** **large, but unspecified, amount of time later…**)

"What did you mean to do? And why was I the only one you didn't do it to?"

Elphaba looked up from the cub, her heart starting to race. Why had she spared Fiyero from the spell without thinking about it? Why not any of the other students? She didn't want to answer him, still trying to find if there was another reason, a different reason, for not magic-spelling Fiyero. He was staring at her expectantly, kindly, oh, Oz, did she _like_ it when he looked at her?! Trying to distract herself, she pointed to a scratch on Fiyero's cheek.

"Look…you're bleeding. It must have scratched you," he didn't move, staring at Elphaba. She felt so nervous! She wanted him to keep looking at her, but couldn't stand to have him sitting there, looking in her direction! What was wrong with her?

"Yeah…or maybe it scratched me or something," Elphaba raised one hand cautiously, not sure why she was doing this, and carefully wiped away the blood with the back of her fingers. She felt an electric tingle go down her hand as Fiyero felt one spread across his face from her touch. Oh, what he wouldn't give to lose himself in this moment with Elphaba forever. But what did she think of him? Would it be good or bad to control himself this once? He could barely stand it, the pain of knowing Elphaba didn't love him. He stood up quickly, fearful that he would do something stupid and lose her trust forever.

"I've got to…get…to safety," _Fiyero, you brainless idiot!_ "I mean…get the Cub…to safety." She stood as well, confused and sad as he ran off with the Cub, trying to get himself far enough away that he could openly lament his predicament.

"Fiyero?" she called after him, but not loudly. She turned away, feeling blood rushing to her face. She knew this feeling. She had felt it before…no, she can't! It has to be something else!

But it wasn't. The idea of her and Fiyero together, holding hands, talking, kissing, seemed like the most wonderful thing in all Oz. She didn't know how long she stood there, trying to find another name for this feeling. Fiyero and Galinda passed on the bridge overhead, Galinda keeping a firm hold on his hand as he trailed her. _They have each other,_ She thought. _They _deserve _each other._

Still, that couldn't stop her from being in love with him.


End file.
